My Poor Baby! [I'shan]

B'jin flushed crimson, shifting his hold on the baby as she wriggled in his arms, and I'shan kissed him again, brown eyes wide and confused. He didn't really mind the affectionate gesture, which only fed fuel to the fire of confusion as he ducked his head, refusing to look up even when I'shan spoke his name. He listened though, fidgeting uncomfortably when the bluerider complimented his good looks. B'jin was an odd one when it came to his appearance; he knew he was good looking and always had been. But he was incredibly self-conscious about receiving compliments from other men (women had a tendency to inflate his ego rather nicely) though the greenrider was mostly unaware of any such reactions he gave. He knew he was good looking, but he also knew it was dangerous to be attractive. S'kef had targeted him because of it, Nemall had holed him up because of it, and the greenrider believed it was why so many blueriders invested in chasing him.

Whether that would change if he ever realised they chased as much - if not more - because he was simply unobtainable would be debatable, for a man that had once been as promiscuous as his dragon was want to be. But when it came right down to it, no one ever told him he was unobtainable; everyone told him he was attractive. The greenrider realised with a start that he couldn't exactly recall any particular time R'nd had specifically complimented his appearance. He knew the bluerider found him attractive (that was pretty damned apparent!) but knowing that his friend also considered himself the embodiment of gorgeous (and not without reason) B'jin was inclined not to think too much on that. R'nd was a good friend, and very sweet, and he would never hole B'jin up; even if B'jin didn't think better of R'nd than that, he knew the bluerider wouldn't do it because he couldn't stand to be playing prison guard either. That would be commitment.

B'jin looked up with a small smile, his thoughts quite far from that which I'shan was talking about, and thus was startled by the intensity within the blueriders eyes. B'jin's expression altered into one of honest shock, before collapsing in on itself to form an expression of confusion, unsure how to respond when I'shan's eyes were telling him one thing while the bluerider's actions and words said other things. In the end, the greenrider remained content to frown, still confused but somewhat relieved also; the indignation vanished with the realisation that I'shan did want him (Didn't everyone?!) and was replaced by a warm and pleasant smile when he also realised that his friend was being careful not to want him. A turn ago, B'jin would have felt he'd done something wrong, to make I'shan act as if he didn't want him, when he so clearly did; a turn of healthy (not) relationship with R'nd had the greenrider realising with a flash of insight that it was respect keeping I'shan's hands to himself.

Well, he assumed it was respect.

"That's okay," B'jin murmured lowly, standing up slowly and adjusting the child. His attention refocused on her as he mumbled under his breath, slipping around I'shan to enter the kitchen and pop the very slobbery wooden spoon into the sink. He smiled happily as he came back out, gaze meeting I'shan's.

"Thank you." What more was there to say than that? Wide eyes made the two simple words encompass everything B'jin wasn't able to put into words, or would have been unwilling to recognise if pushed. "I better get Tsereni home." The the bright smile reappeared as B'jin made his way to the door, picking up his guitar with obvious reverence before putting it over one shoulder. Waving cheerfully, B'jin slipped out the door. Tsereni needed to go home, before she soiled herself; he was not dealing with that.